[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17524]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      REASONS TO SUPPORT THE CENTRAL AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

  Mr. BEAUPREZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight just a few of 
the reasons why I am in favor of the Central American Free Trade 
Agreement, known as CAFTA.
  CAFTA is going to level the playing field for U.S. workers and 
farmers. Right now, the CAFTA countries have virtually open access to 
our U.S. market. This agreement will give Americans the same free and 
fair access to their markets. The day CAFTA is signed, nearly $1 
billion a year in tariffs on U.S. goods goes away, making us 
immediately more competitive. Somewhere in this world, farmers will be 
producing the food and workers will be making the goods to meet the 
growing demand of the CAFTA nations. I want this demand to be met by 
American workers.
  CAFTA will protect existing American jobs, allow us to compete fairly 
for more international business and strengthen our relationships with 
these six developing democracies.
  Mr. Speaker, neighbors help each other, and CAFTA is a good neighbor 
treaty. I urge its adoption.

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